Writing attachment for telephones



'Dec.. 28 192 6. A. S. BROADWIN WRITING ATTACHMENT FOR'TELEPHONES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct.

TTORNEYS.

Dec. 25, 1926.

A. S. BROADWIN WRITING ATTACHMENT FOR TELEPHONES File d Oct. 16. 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

Patented Dec. 28, 1926.

ABRAHAM S. BROADIVIN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

WRITING ATTACHMENT FOR TELEPHONES.

Application filed October 16, 1923. Serial No. 668,939.

My invention relates to an attachment for telephones to provide convenient means for writing memoranda while using the telephone. VVhile the present invention may be attached in any desired manner to the .telephone transmitter, I prefer to make it in the form of a base on which the telephone transmitter may rest and be clamped in order that the device will not interfere with the free use of the telephone. My invention relates to a writing attachment having a sliding drawer or platen carrying a strip of paper and which drawer is adapted to be contained within the compartment or casing when not in use and to be drawn out to form a support when making memoranda on the sheet. Writing attachments have heretofore been made with sliding drawers but so far as I know in all such cases the supply of pap-er has been in the form of a pad carried by the drawer. It is one of the objects of my invention to provide a sliding drawer or platen with a supply of paper arranged in the form of a long strip wound in a roll, the end of the paper being carried over the surface of the platen and the active portion of the paper strip moving with the sliding drawer or platen. One advantage of this arrangement is, that a large supply of paper may be provided which will always be ready for use and instead of the bulk of supply of aper having to move with the platen and the latter having to he made deep enough to carry a supply of paper, in the present case it is only necessary for the platen to carry a portion of the strip of paper at a time and only one or two layers of the paper need cover the platen at any time.

Another object of my invention is to provide an attachment with a sliding platen and a supply of paper in the form of a roll, together with means for holding and conducting the paper on the platen in such manner that in the ordinary use of the paper strip the writing may be arranged in consecutive order so as to read down the sheet regardless of the length of the strip used at any one time. That is to say, when the user has writtenon the portion of the strip of paper which lies on the platen, the strip may be adveneed is bnag a new portion over the platen and the writing will continue down the strip in the same direction regardless of how many sections or portions of the strip are used. In making memoranda, therefore, the different facts may be arranged in the same order as they are received over the telephone. Another object of my invention is to provide means for automatically rewinding all or a portion of the slack in the paper strip as the platen is retracted within the casing. I also provide simple and convenient means for allowing the paper strip to be advanced as well as means against which sections of the strip may be torn off from time to time.

Another object of my invention is to provide a suitable holder for a pencil, movable with the platen,

In the drawings forming part of this application,

Figure 1 is a perspective View of the complete device,

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the platen and the parts associated with it,

Figure 3 1s a sectional view showing a portion of the roller having a supply of paper,

Figure 4: is a sectional view through the forward portion of the platen and the forward paper guide roller,

Figure 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of the device,

Figure 6 is a longitudinal sectional view through the casing,

Figure 7 is a detailed sectional view showing the means for taking up the slack in the strip and for permitting the strip to be advanced, and

Figure 8 is a sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of Figure 6.

In the drawings I have shown a casing 1 here shown as formed to receive upon the cover 2 the base 3 of the ordinary telephone transmitter. The cover is provided with an up-turned circular flange 4 at its forward end, adapted to overlap a portion of the edge of the spring clip 5 adapted to spring over the edge of the telephone base so that the flange 4 and the spring 5 serve to hold the telephone in position. The engin form e within what the seam r. all

platen is adapted to be contained. The platen proper indicated by the numeral 7 has downwardly turned sile flanges 8, 9 which are guided by the upturned flanges 10 formed by striking up a part: of the metal from the bottom wall 11 of the casing. At one side of the platen the flange 9 forms one side of the trough for holding a pencil or other Writing instrument the remainder of this trough con'iprising t'llfi'lfiOtt-Oll'l wall 12 the side wall 13 and the two end walls l-l preferably all stamped from the same piece of metal from which the platen is made. There is a catch for holding the platen within the casing until such time as the user desires to withdraw the platen and this catch 15 is formed as a coi'itin-uation oi the platen and it consists of a tongue of metal bent to form the angular abutment member 16 which engages behind the front wall 1'? or the casing, and there is a linger piece 18 which projects through the front opening 19 of the casing to be accessible "from the outside for operating to release and withdraw the platen. There a small spring 20 which is engaged by the rear end wall 1d of the pencil trough just be'lore the platen is pushed entirely within the casing, so that this spring is put under tension. The object of this spring is to *e an initial start to the platen when the catch 16 is released rather than to move the platen entirely forward, and it also serves to prevent the platen from sl'iitting in the event that the telephone and casing are moved Atthe forward end of the platen there is a guide roller 21 turning on projections 22 stamped from the side brackets 23 and at the rear end of the platen there is a curved cross bar 24: on which the paper is adapted to be carried and the forward edge 25 ol this bar serves as a cutting illQlTllDQl againstwhich the strip of paper may be torn. There are bars 26 projecting rearwardly l-IOIfl each side of the platen and these slide between the top and bottom walls 27, 11 of the casing and serve to support the platen when it extended beyond the casing; and it may partially support it when the platen is retracted within the casing. One of these bars is provided with rack teeth 28 tor a purpose hereinalrte referred to. Atthe rear of the casing there are arranged vertical" brackets having slots to receive the arbor 29*" of the roller 30 on which a roll of paper 3L is carried. Spring members 32 formed from the same material as the brackets 29 extend around the ends of the arbor 29" and create sufiicient friction thereon to prevent the arbor and the roll of paper from turning except when drawn out by the operator. This easing has an opening 33 in the top through which the strip of paper passes from the roll 31 to the interior ot the casing. There is loosely journaled on the arbor 29*":1, gear by the rack teeth 28 on the bar wheel which meshes with and is operated There is a pawl 5-35 lined to this gear wheel Ell at the point 36 the pawl being flexible so that it may bend in either direction. of this pawl engages in the teeth of a pinion 3'? which is fixed to the end of the arher 29.

Operation.

A roll of paper is supplied upon the arbor 2t) and theend of this paper is carried through the opening 33 in the casing. thence forwardly across the top ot theplaten 7 thence around the guide roller 21 thence lniclrwardl'y across the 'ilaten and across the layer of paper resting thereon and the paper then passes under the rear bar 2t. it may be assumed that the platen crcloed in the casing. If the user desires to, write meinoranda the linger piece 155 is lifted: to disengage thecatch member 16 from the front wall of the casing, whereupon the spring 20 will exert an initial pressure to start the platen tor ardly and move the catch 16. beyond the front wall. of the casing. The operator pulls the platen forward until it projects beyond the casing, whereupon it will be supported in this bosition by the bars 2". The user may then take the pencil (not shown.) which is held in the tray 9, 1-2, 13 and write any desired matter on the surface of the section 38 of the paper lying on the platen. and between the bar 24: and the guide roller 21. It the ineinoranda or writing is more than this portion of paper will hold, the user may grasp the end of the strip of paper lying over the bar 2st and pull on this end so that the portion ot the paper bearing the writing moves forwardly and around the guide This draws a new portion ot the paper over the platen ready tobe written on and it the inn is contin-nod on this new portion of the pa er the tacts will appear in sequence all reading downwardly on the strip, of paper in the same order in which they were written on betl-r the first and second sections of the paper. This operation may be repeated so that however much is written on. the strip it will always read tron: top. to bottom in sequence. han the writing has been completed the strip is again pulled until the unwritten or plain portion reaches the rear guide 2t and then the tree portion of the paper is pulled at an. angle acroyis the edge 25 to tear the paper which has been written on, "from the remainder of the strip. This leaves an unwritten or plain section of paper lying on the platen reac y for the next user. When the user in the above operation pulls out the end of the paper the pulling action causes the strip of paper to draw on the roll 31 and roller and the latter unwinds the roll 31, the pawl escaping over the teeth of the pin- Tl he end till ion 37. The resiliency of the pawl permits it to escape on the pinion 37 and at the same time placing a slight resistance to the turning of the pinion and the roll of paper After the device has been used the platen is pushed back into the casing until the catch 16 engages behind the front'wall thereof. During this operation the gear wheel 34 is revolved counter-clockwise by the rack teeth 28 and the pawl 35, acting on the pinion 37, rotates the roll of paper 31 so that part or all of the slack in the strip of paper between the roll and the platen will be taken up by the turning movement of the roll of paper. Should the turning movement of the gear 34 exceed the amount of slack to be taken up in the strip the tension on the strip of paper will resist further movement of the roll of paper and therefore the pinion 37, and after that the pawl 35 will escape over the teeth of this pinion. It is not always necessary that all of this slack be taken up by the backward turning of the paper roll but only sutiicient to prevent the strip of paper from tangling or binding within the casing. lVhen the platen is moved forwardly to project it from the casing for operation, the forward movement of the bar 26 causes the rack teeth 28 to turn the gear wheel 3% clockwise in Figure 7 and this turns the paper roll in the direction necessary to let off the strip of paper to correspond with the forward movement of the platen, so that the paper is not dislodged where it lies across the platen. It

will be apparent from this that the action of the pawl 85 is not positive. The only portions of the paper carried by the platen are the short sections which are lying thereon so that the platen is not obliged to carry a supply of paper and its action is therefore very light. At the same time, any quantity of paper may be supplied in the form of aroll 31 to cover a long period of use to avoid having to replenish the supply at short intervals. The paper is always in condition for use and it is held smooth upon the platen.

Having described my claim is:

l. A device of the class described, including a casing, means for attaching a roll of paper thereto. a platen and means for slidably supporting the platen in said casing; whereby it may be moved to project from the casing for writing purposes, means adjacent the forward and rearward ends of the platen for holding the free end of the strip of paper looped back upon itself, in writing position on said platen.

2. A device of the class described, including a casing, means for attaching a roll of paper thereto. a platen and means for slidably supporting the platen in said casing whereby it may be moved to project there invention what I from for writing purposes, a guide roller adjacent the forward end of said platen, around which the strip of paper from said roll is guided, and a guide for the strip of paper adjacent the rear end of the platen, against which the free end of the strip of paper is adapted to be torn.

3. A device of the class described, including a casing, means for attaching a roll of paper thereto, a platen and means for slidably supporting the platen in said casing whereby it may be moved to project therefrom for writing purposes, means for holding the end of the paper strip on said platen, and means for automatically taking up the slack in the strip of paper between the roll and platen when the latter is retracted within casing.

4. A device of the class described. including a casing, means for attaching a roll of. paper thereto, a platen and means for slidably supporting the platen in said casing whereby it may be moved to project from the casing for writing purposes, means for holding the strip of paper on the platen, and means for automatically revolving said roll of paper when the platen is moved out, to let ofi paper from the roll.

5. A device of the class described, including a casing, means for attaching a roll of paper thereto, a platen and means for slidably supporting the platen in said casing whereby it may be moved to project from the casing for writing purposes, means for holding the strip of paper on the platen, and means for automatically revolving the roll of paper in one direction when the platen is moved out and for automatically revolving it in the reverse direction when the platen is moved inwardly.

(5. A device of the class described, including a casing, means for attaching a roll of paper thereto, a platen and means for slidably supporting the platen in said casing whereby it may be moved to project from the casing for writing purposes, means for holding the strip of paper on the platen, and means for automatically revolving the roll of paper in reverse directions as the platen is moved outwardly and inwardly, including a spring pawl and a ratchet wheel, the latter being adapted to escape in either direction on said pawl.

7. A device of the class described, includ ing a casing, means for attaching a roll of paper thereto, a platen and means for slidably supporting the platen in said casing whereby it may be moved to project therefrom for writing purposes, a rack movable with said platen, a gear operated by said rack, a ratchet wheel movable with the roll of paper, and a pawl operated by said gear for actuating said ratchet wheel, the latter being adapted to escape in either direction on said pawl.

8. A device of the class described, including a casing, means for attaching a roll of whereby it may he moved to project therefrom for Writing purposes, a catch for holdmg said platen 1n the casing, and a spring adapted to be put under tension when the platen is moved into the casing and to give an initial outward thrust to the platen when 10 the catch is released. 7

Signed at the city, county and State of New York, this 11th day of October, 1923.

ABRAHAM S. BROADXVIN. 

